The author dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law and all related or neighboring legal rights he or she had in the work, to the extent allowable by law.

Florida's lakes have played an important roll in the
development of the state and day by day they are becoming
more important. The future well-being of the state depends
to a large extent on the wise management of this valuable
natural resource. Wise management needs large amounts
of information and, yet, published information about Florida's
lakes has consistently fallen behind the need.

Recognizing this fact, the Trustees of the Internal
Improvement Fund entered into cooperative agreements with
the U. S. Geological Survey to provide for the collection and
dissemination of lake information.

This report, prepared at Ocala, Florida, under the
supervision of A. 0. Patterson, district engineer, U. S.
Geological Survey, is part of the work. It has been written
with the sincere hope that the knowledge it imparts will lead
to the solution of some of the lake problems that Florida
faces today.

Florida's fresh-water lakes are a valuable resource
but because of their natural fluctuations they sometimes
bring about inconvenience and damage. Fluctuations in the
lakes take place when the rates of gain and loss of water are
unequal. The various types of lakes found inFlorida exhibit
somewhat different characteristics in their fluctuations but
as allare affected to a greater or lesser extent by climatic,
hydrologic, and geologic factors, all tend to follow much the
same pattern.

Stage records for lakes give an insight into their
behavior patterns, particularly when reduced to duration
curves and analyzed in that form. Duration curves for 49
lakes prepared from their stage records, are presented in
the report. Insight into future behavior, gained from refer-
enceto these curves, could help residents avoid much of the
damage sustained because of imprudent location of lakeshore
construction.

Lake levels can, of course, be controlled. Substantial
reduction in fluctuation, however, is nearly always costly
and often results in deleterious effects on downstream areas.

The establishment of legal lake levels, though not in
itself a control measure, tends to reduce the uncertainties
attendant to the use of lakes thereby bringing about more
orderly development of lakeshore properties. It appears
that it would also tend to reduce the rate of encroachment

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

that is taking place in the state. The report gives a brief
description of how legal lake levels are established in Indiana.

In addition to other characteristics, the legal aspect
of lake ownership has gained in importance in recent years.
In many cases interest has centered on whether or not a
particular lake has been meandered (surveyed). A short
explanation of the process of meandering and a list of
meandered lakes have been included in the report.

INTRODUCTION

Florida's fresh-water lakes constitute one of its most
valuable natural resources. Like any other resource, how-
ever, lakes must be used if their benefits are tobe realized.
Use, however, often entails plans to modify lakes to more
nearly fit the requirements of a particular user. Plans for
modification call for many decisions and, if changes to be
made are to be advantageous to one user and at the same
time not detrimental to other users, the decisions must be
good ones. Good decisions, however, require understanding;
understanding requires information.

The purpose of this report is to give information that
will increase understanding and thereby bring about better
use of Florida's lakes. Primarily, the report answers four
questions. They are:

1. Why do lake levels fluctuate?
2. What is a stage-duration curve and how is
it used?
3. What are some of the advantages and disad-
vantages of lake-level regulation?
4. How are legal lake levels established?

In addition, appendices to the report contain brief
descriptions of 88 lakes, stage-duration curves for 49 lakes,
stage hydrographs for 8 lakes, and a list of meandered lakes.

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

that is taking place in the state. The report gives a brief
description of how legal lake levels are established in Indiana.

In addition to other characteristics, the legal aspect
of lake ownership has gained in importance in recent years.
In many cases interest has centered on whether or not a
particular lake has been meandered (surveyed). A short
explanation of the process of meandering and a list of
meandered lakes have been included in the report.

INTRODUCTION

Florida's fresh-water lakes constitute one of its most
valuable natural resources. Like any other resource, how-
ever, lakes must be used if their benefits are tobe realized.
Use, however, often entails plans to modify lakes to more
nearly fit the requirements of a particular user. Plans for
modification call for many decisions and, if changes to be
made are to be advantageous to one user and at the same
time not detrimental to other users, the decisions must be
good ones. Good decisions, however, require understanding;
understanding requires information.

The purpose of this report is to give information that
will increase understanding and thereby bring about better
use of Florida's lakes. Primarily, the report answers four
questions. They are:

1. Why do lake levels fluctuate?
2. What is a stage-duration curve and how is
it used?
3. What are some of the advantages and disad-
vantages of lake-level regulation?
4. How are legal lake levels established?

In addition, appendices to the report contain brief
descriptions of 88 lakes, stage-duration curves for 49 lakes,
stage hydrographs for 8 lakes, and a list of meandered lakes.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

LAKE-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS

Fluctuations in lake levels do not occur because of
mere capriciousness. They are natural phenomena. They
are brought about by natural forces and are fairly easily
explained. If a lake rises, it has gained water; if it falls,
it has lost water. Yet, sometimes the lake rises although
no water has been seen entering. At other times the lake
falls, although no water has been seen leaving. The reason,
of course, is that only a part of the water that enters and
leaves is visible. Rain falling on the lake and streams
flowing in and out can be seen. But water that flows in and
out through the ground which it does cannot be seen.
Also water is being evaporated from the lake surface all the
time and being used by growing plants all the time, yet this
water cannot be seen. In effect, thereis a continuous move-
ment of water through a lake. Water is constantly being
gained and constantly being lost.

When the rate of gain just equals the rate of loss, the
amount of water in the lake remains constant and the level
neither rises nor falls. When, however, the rate of gain is
greater than the rate of loss, the amount increases and the
level rises. Conversely, when the rate of loss exceeds the
rate of gain, the amount decreases and the level falls.

There are three principal ways by which lakes gain
water rain on thelake surface, streaminflow, andunder-
ground inflow. However, the water that is gained does not
come in steadily. Rain, for example, adds water intermit-
tently. During the wet season it may rain every day. During
the dry season, however, it may not rain at all for several
weeks. Streamflow, though not as erratic as rain, varies
from day to day and week to week. Characteristically, it
increases during and after a rain, then declines slowly until
the next rain. During extending periods without rain, stream-
flow may cease altogether. Underground inflow, probably
the least erratic, also changes in amount day by day.

The four principal ways by which lakes lose water are
transpiration, outflow through streams, underground outflow,

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

LAKE-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS

Fluctuations in lake levels do not occur because of
mere capriciousness. They are natural phenomena. They
are brought about by natural forces and are fairly easily
explained. If a lake rises, it has gained water; if it falls,
it has lost water. Yet, sometimes the lake rises although
no water has been seen entering. At other times the lake
falls, although no water has been seen leaving. The reason,
of course, is that only a part of the water that enters and
leaves is visible. Rain falling on the lake and streams
flowing in and out can be seen. But water that flows in and
out through the ground which it does cannot be seen.
Also water is being evaporated from the lake surface all the
time and being used by growing plants all the time, yet this
water cannot be seen. In effect, thereis a continuous move-
ment of water through a lake. Water is constantly being
gained and constantly being lost.

When the rate of gain just equals the rate of loss, the
amount of water in the lake remains constant and the level
neither rises nor falls. When, however, the rate of gain is
greater than the rate of loss, the amount increases and the
level rises. Conversely, when the rate of loss exceeds the
rate of gain, the amount decreases and the level falls.

There are three principal ways by which lakes gain
water rain on thelake surface, streaminflow, andunder-
ground inflow. However, the water that is gained does not
come in steadily. Rain, for example, adds water intermit-
tently. During the wet season it may rain every day. During
the dry season, however, it may not rain at all for several
weeks. Streamflow, though not as erratic as rain, varies
from day to day and week to week. Characteristically, it
increases during and after a rain, then declines slowly until
the next rain. During extending periods without rain, stream-
flow may cease altogether. Underground inflow, probably
the least erratic, also changes in amount day by day.

The four principal ways by which lakes lose water are
transpiration, outflow through streams, underground outflow,

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

and evaporation. Transpiration (plant use) varies with the
time of year. It is low during the fall and winter and high
during the growing season. Water lost through outflowing
streams usually varies with lake levels. Ordinarily it in-
creases as the lake level rises and decreases as the level
falls. Obviously, if the lake level falls below the level of
the outlet channel, loss in this manner stops. Underground
loss changes as lake levels and ground-water levels rise and
fall. Like the other losses, it seldom remains fixed for
long.

Evaporation affects all lakes, removing, in Florida,
about 5 feet of water a year. Evaporation varies, though,
from less than three inches a month in the winter to nearly
inches a month inthe summer as indicated bythe following
table.

Pan Evaporation at Gainesville 1959

Month Inches

January 2.74
February 3.81
March 4.72
April 6.16
May 7.96
June 6.79
July 6.81
August 6.50
September 5.74
October 5.08
November 3.35
December 2.59
Total 62.25

Source: U.S. Weather Bureau

Evaporation studies have indicated that the actual
evaporation from a large body of water such as a lake is,
in Florida, somewhat less than the rate measured by the
standard Weather Bureau Class A evaporation pan. Further,
it appears that the relationship between pan evaporation and
lake evaporation changes seasonally. Experiments at Lake
Okeechobee between 1940 and 1946 resulted in the deter-
mination of monthly coefficients applicable to the area.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

These coefficients are given in the following table:I

Month Lake Evaporation-; Pan Evaporation

January 0.77
February 0.69
March 0.73
April 0.84
May 0.82
June 0.85
July 0.91
August 0.91
September 0.85
October 0.76
November 0.71
December 0.83

One might suppose that because the climate is about
the same throughout an area, all lakes would rise and fall
together and by about the same amount. Because of differ-
ences in the rate of underground inflow and outflow from lake
to lake, they do not. Underground inflow and outflow are
highly variable. They depend upon the geologic and hydrologic
conditions at each particular lake and these conditions vary
from lake to lake.

Although notwo lakes are exactly alike, certain simi-
larities do exist. On the basis of these similarities, lakes
in Florida can be grouped into three broad categories. Lakes
in the first category, sometimes called "perched lakes, "
have an impervious layer of material under them (fig. 1).
This layer may be well packed fine sand, clay, hardpan, or
other tight material. In any case, it keeps water from moving
in and out through the lake bottom except in insignificant
amounts. Fluctuations inthis type of lake are not necessarily
greater or less thanfluctuations inlakes of other categories.
However, because most of the gains and losses (direct rain-
fall, surface inflow and outflow) canbe seen, the fluctuations
are easily understood.

Lakes in the second category, called "water-table
lakes," are numerous in Florida. They exist in depressions
that extend belowthe water table (fig. 2). They receive water
when the water table is above the lake level (fig. 3) and lose
it when the water table is below the lake level (fig. 4). If the
water table remained at one level, there would be but little
fluctuation in water-table lakes. It doesn't. It rises and
falls and, in turn, causes the lakes to fluctuate.

Lakes in the third category, "sinkhole lakes," are
also numerous. They are characterized by having holes
that connect them with the porous, water-bearing limestone
that underlies most of Florida (fig. 5). The water in the
limestone is under pressure. When the upward pressure
of the water in the limestone equals the downward pressure
of the lake, there is no movement of water through the con-
necting hole. Normally, however, the water pressure in
the limestone fluctuates. When it increases, water moves
upward through the hole and the lake level is raised; when
it decreases, water moves downward and the lake level is
lowered. If the hole is relatively large, changes in lake

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Land Surface

Water Table .

Figure 2. Typical cross section water-table lake.

level follow changes in pressure very rapidly.

Some lakes,

though, are connected to the porous limestone by relatively
small passages. Their changes in level follow pressure
changes less rapidly. Some lakes take as long as several
months to reach the new level.

Land Surface,7

. op -'.^ Water TableW-

Figure 3. Water-table lake water table higher than lake
level.

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Figure 4. Water-table lake water table lower than lake
level.

STAGE-DURATION CURVES

A stage-duration curve is a graphical representation
of the fluctuation pattern of a lake. It is made by rearranging
the daily or weekly stage readings so as to make a cumulative
distribution graph (fig. 6). The accuracy and usefulness of
a duration curve increase with increases in the length of
record from whichit is computed. Usually, a record of less
than 10 years is insufficient to produce a reliable curve be-
cause the relatively short record does not represent the
long-time behavior of the lake.

The usefulness of stage-duration curves in indicating
the general behavior can be shown best by reference to an
illustrative curve (fig. 6). This is the duration curve for
Lake Arbuckle, in Polk County. A 15-year stage record
was used in its computation. In addition to showing the highest
stage (58.4 feet) and the lowest stage (51. 19 feet) that oc-
curred during the 15-year period, it shows the percent of

Land__Surface --

7 .. .- .'" L- '-

"`)-~;; _~a:: : :."o :.-:":

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Figure 5. Typical cross section sinkhole lake.

timethat any stage was equalled or exceeded. For example,
it shows that 75 percent of the time the lake level was 53
feet or more above mean sea level; that 50 percent of the
time it was 54 feet or more above mean sea level; and that
about 8 percent of the time it was 56 feet or more above
mean sea level. The straight central portion of the curves
shows that levels between 53 feet and 55 feet occurred with
about equal frequency. Although the total range in stage was
slightly over 7 feet, 50 percent of the time the lake varied
within a 2-foot range (53.0 55. 0) and 75 percent of the
time it varied within a 3-foot range (52. 5 55. 5).

Nearly every year extremely high lake levels or ex-
tremely low lake levels cause damage in some part of the
state. High levels flood homes, close roads, and damage
crops. Low levels render boathouses and docks useless,
destroy fish and wildlife, and curtail recreation activities.
To even the most casual observer, it is obvious that if the
fluctuations were eliminated, the damage would be eliminated.

Many people understand the advantages of lake-level
control. Apparently, there are fewer who understand that
lake-level control has disadvantages, too. Many see control
as an unqualified blessing; few see that the cost is sometimes
greater than the gain. If practical plans for water control
are to be evolved, honest appraisal of all factors, disadvan-
tages as well as advantages, must be made.

There are two factors, which are sometimes over-
looked, that should always be considered. One of these is
cost. Basically, stability requires that all water in excess
of that required to keep the lake at the desired level be
removed. Further, it requires, when natural sources do not
provide enough water to keep the lake up, that water be brought
in. Todothis job usually requires that dams be built, canals
be dug, and pumps be installed. These can be costly. First
cost, however, is not the entire cost. To first cost must
be added the cost of maintenance and operation. The latter
can be costly also. Over a period of years it may easily
exceed first cost.

The effect that controlling one lake has on other lakes
and streams is another factor tobe considered. It is important
that the advantages to be gained by controlling a lake not be
offset by deleterious effects somewhere else. It is axiomatic,
in the case of lakes in a stream system, that reducing the
fluctuations of one lake increases the fluctuations of lakes
downstream from it. During wet periods, water that without
regulation would be stored is passed ontolakes downstream.
Since these lakes receive more water than they normally
would, their levels get abnormally high. Conversely, in dry
times, water that without regulation would move downstream

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

to help maintain these lakes no longer does so. It is held
in the controlled lake to maintain its level. Consequently,
downstreamlakes fall to abnormallylow levels. The amount
of damage that this increase in fluctuation causes depends,
of course, on local conditions.

In summary, the decision to stabilize the level of a
lake should be made only after all factors, good and bad,
have been considered. Two important factors are (1) cost, and
(2) possible detrimental effects that increased fluctuations
will have on downstream areas.

LEGAL LAKE LEVELS

The establishment of legal lake levels in Florida would
probably aid greatly in the solution of many lake problems
that now exist. It would do much to bring about the orderly
development of the lakes and at the same time halt the
encroachment that will eventually ruin them. Other states
are using the system to advantage. Indiana, for example,
has more than a hundred lakes whose levels have been legally
established. 2

The practice in Indiana is to establish two legal levels
for each lake concerned. One is the established normal
level. The other is the established high-water level. These
levels are usually based on lake-level records. Commonly,
the established normal level is the average level recorded
during a 10-year period. The established high-water level
is the highest level reached in the same 10-year period.

Basically, the establishment of the legal level of a
lake is simple. An agency, after the necessary investigation,
determines the lake level that best satisfies all interests and,
through court or legislative action, causes it to become the
lawfully designated level.

In Indiana, the Department of Conservation, which is
authorized to establish normal lake levels, is empowered
to construct or sponsor and supervise the construction of
dams, spillways, and control works necessary to maintain
the normal lake level.

MEANDERED LAKES

A meandered lake is one whose general outline has been
determined by a General Land Office survey. The survey
line or meander, as it is called, is made in conjunction with
the survey of section, township, and range lines that is made
prior.to the disposal of public domain lands. The meander
consists of a series of straight lines, of various lengths and
bearings, forming an irregular polygon encompassing the
lake and whose shape conforms roughly to the shape of the
lake.

The purpose of a meander line is not to determine the
exact size and shape of a lake but to aid in determining the
approximate acreage of the upland plots that border on the
lake. Meanders are not considered to be property lines.

A list of Florida lakes that have been meandered is
given in Appendix III.

SUMMARY

Fluctuations in lake levels, the source of many problems
that confront the people of Florida today, are brought about
by natural processes. Lakes gain and lose water and thereby
rise and fall. Gains and losses are brought about by climatic
factors rainfall, evaporation modified by physical
factors topography, geology, and works of man.

Much of the uncertainty as to the pattern of fluctuation
of a lake can be eliminated by analysis of its stage record.
Of the various kinds of analysis available, the stage-duration
curve is one of the most informative. Many characteristics
of a lake become apparent when analysis takes the form of a
duration curve.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

In Indiana, the Department of Conservation, which is
authorized to establish normal lake levels, is empowered
to construct or sponsor and supervise the construction of
dams, spillways, and control works necessary to maintain
the normal lake level.

MEANDERED LAKES

A meandered lake is one whose general outline has been
determined by a General Land Office survey. The survey
line or meander, as it is called, is made in conjunction with
the survey of section, township, and range lines that is made
prior.to the disposal of public domain lands. The meander
consists of a series of straight lines, of various lengths and
bearings, forming an irregular polygon encompassing the
lake and whose shape conforms roughly to the shape of the
lake.

The purpose of a meander line is not to determine the
exact size and shape of a lake but to aid in determining the
approximate acreage of the upland plots that border on the
lake. Meanders are not considered to be property lines.

A list of Florida lakes that have been meandered is
given in Appendix III.

SUMMARY

Fluctuations in lake levels, the source of many problems
that confront the people of Florida today, are brought about
by natural processes. Lakes gain and lose water and thereby
rise and fall. Gains and losses are brought about by climatic
factors rainfall, evaporation modified by physical
factors topography, geology, and works of man.

Much of the uncertainty as to the pattern of fluctuation
of a lake can be eliminated by analysis of its stage record.
Of the various kinds of analysis available, the stage-duration
curve is one of the most informative. Many characteristics
of a lake become apparent when analysis takes the form of a
duration curve.

14 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The most obvious and most often attempted solution to
the problem of fluctuating levels is lake-level regulation by
control structures. The elimination of damage to property
and the opportunity for full and orderly development are'
advantages that may be gained by regulation; costly expendi-
tures and increases in water problems in downstream areas
are two of the disadvantages.

Manylake problems that now exist could be eliminated
by the establishment of legal lake levels. Legal levels en-
courage orderly development and discourage encroachment.

APPENDIX I

Lake Descriptions

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

APPENDIX I

Lake Descriptions

Lake Adair (Orange County): Lake Adair is in the west-central
section of Orlando. It is roughly oval in shape, 1,800 feet long, 700 feet
wide, and 16 feet deep. It is connected by channels to Spring Lake and
Lake Concord.
Stage records were collected for Lake Adair from November 1942
to November 1956. During that time the highest stage that was recorded
was 80. 33 feet above mean sea level (September 1945). The lowest was
74. 20 feet (June 1945).

Lake Aldrich (Orange and Lake counties): Lake Aldrich is on the
Orange-Lake county line 7- miles southwest of Windermere. It is 18 feet
deep and covers 600 acres.

Lake Alfred (Polk County): Lake Alfred lies inthe northwest section
of the town of Lake Alfred. It covers an area of 900 acres.

Lake Alice (Alachua County); Located on the campus of the University
of Florida at Gainesville, Lake Alice covers about 90 acres and is approxi-
mately 18 feet deep. There are no streams flowing into or out of the lake.

Alligator Lake (Osceola County): Alligator Lake is 2 miles east of
Ashton and just south of U.S. Highway 192. It is 4! miles long, slightly
over 2 miles wide, and about 32 feet deep. It is connected to Brick Lake,
Buck Lake, and Lake Lizzie by canals.
The stage record for Alligator Lake began in November 1941.
Through March 1960, the highest stage that had been recorded was 66. 38
feet above mean sea level (October 1944). The lowest was 60. 58 feet
(July 1956).

Lake Annie (Highlands County): Lake Annie is about 6 miles south
of the town of Lake Placid. Its highest observed stage was 115. 08 feet
above sea level (October 1951) and its lowest was 110.20 (May 1956).

Lake Apopka (Lake and Orange counties): Lake Apopka covers an
area of 48 square miles. It lies about 10 miles northwest of Orlando.
The town of Winter Garden is situated on its south shore. There are no
surface streams entering it; however, a spring feeding the lake and located
in a cove on its southwest shore has been reported. Outflow from the lake
is by way of a canal on the north side that connects it to Lake Beauclair.
Discharge through the canal is regulated by a control structure.

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The stage record for Lake.Apopka shows that, from September 1942
to the end of May 1960, the highest daily stage recorded was 68. 90 feet
above mean sea level (September 1947). The lowest was 64.-04 feet
(August 1956).

Lake Apshawa (Lake County): Lake Apshawa is a small lake (115
acres) about 2 miles northeast of Minneola. It has no inflow or outflow
channels. A stage record of the lake was begun in 1953. At the end of
March 1960 the highest gage reading recordedwas 5.40 feet (March 1960).
The lowest was -2. 80 feet (June 1956).

Lake Apthorp (Highlands County): Lake Apthorp is 3 miles north of
the town of Lake Placid. It covers an area of 220 acres. A contour map
of the lake bottom, made by the Soil Conservation Service in 1954, shows
the deepest part (33 feet) to be near the west end of the lake.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Apthorp began in December
1955. At the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been re-
corded was 70.93 feet above mean sea level (September 1959). The lowest
was 68. 10 feet (June 1956).

Lake Arbuckle (Polk County): Lake Arbuckle is located 6 miles
east of Frostproof. It covers an area of 6 square miles and is about 12
feet deep in the deepest part. Arbuckle Creek begins here and flows
southward to Lake Istokpoga.
Collection of a stage record for Lake Arbuckle began in December
1941 and, through September 1959, the highest stage recorded was 58.4
feet above mean sea level (September 1948). The lowest was 51. 19 feet
(May 1956).

Lake Ariana (Polk County): Lake Ariana is located at Auburndale.
It is circular in shape and covers 1,020 acres. It is connected to Lake
Whistler and Lake Lena by canals.
Stage readings were obtained for Lake Ariana from June 1945 to
April 1948. During that time, the highest stage recorded was 137. 9 feet
above mean sea level (August 1946). The lowest was 134.2 feet (June 1945).

Bay Lake (Hillsborough County): Bay Lake is 3 miles northwest
of the town of Sulphur Springs. It has a surface area of about 40 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Bay Lake began-in May 1946.
Since that time, the highest stage recorded was 46. 78 feet above mean
sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 43. 02 feet (May 1949).

Lake Bessie (Orange County): Lake Bessie is located at Windermere.
It covers about 160 acres.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

A stage record was collected for Lake Bessie from July 1932 to
September 1941. During that time the highest stage recorded was 101. 98
feet above mean sea level (October 1934). The lowest was 96. 73 feet
(June 1939).

Lake Beulah (Polk County): Lake Beulah is within the city limits .of
Lakeland. It covers about 25 acres and at a normal stage is 26 feet deep.
The lake has no outlet. Some inflow enters the lake through storm drains.
The available stage record for Lake Beulah covers the period from
May 1954 to May 1957. During that time the highest stage recorded was
180.47 feet above mean sea level (May 1957). The lowest was 178.23
feet (July 1956).

Big Alligator Lake (Columbia County): Big Alligator Lake is located
at Lake City. It covers 4 square miles and lies atan elevation of 95 feet
above sea level. Local residents have reported the existence of several
sinkholes in the lake.

Big Lake Fairview (Orange County): Big Lake Fairview is located
inOrlando. A stage record was collected herefrom 1948 to 1955. During
that time, the highest gage readifig recorded was 4.98 feet; the lowest,
1.64 feet.

Big Sand Lake (Orange County): Big Sand Lake is located 7 miles
southwest of Orlando. It is about 1 mile long and three-fourths of a mile
wide. Its average depth is 15 feet and it is 25 feet deep in the center.
The lake is about 100 feet above sea level.

Blue Cypress Lake (Indian River County): Blue Cypress Lake, also
called Lake Wilmington, is about 10 miles southwest of Fellsmere. It
covers approximately 10 square miles.
The stage record for Blue Cypress Lake began in January 1956.
Through September 1959, the highest daily stage that had been recorded
was 26. 28 feet above mean sea level (October 1956). The lowest was
20. 76 feet (June 1956).

Blue Pond (Clay County): Blue Pond is 6 miles north of Keystone
heights and covers 90 acres. It has one outlet, a small natural channel
that takes water to Sand Hill Lake 1 mile to the southeast.

Lake Bonny (Polk County): Lake Bonny is located in the city of
Lakeland. It covers 350 acres. A canal, dug in 1959, connects it with
Lake Parker.
Stage readings have been made on Lake Bonny at infrequent intervals

19 i

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

since 1942. At the end of 1959, the highest stage that had been recorded
was 133.4 feet above mean sea level (September 1959). The lowest was
124.6 feet (July 1956).

Bright Lake (Orange County): Bright Lake, located 3 miles east of
Winter Park, covers about 50 acres. It is roughly circular in shape.
Soundings made in 1942 indicate it tobe about 22 feet deepnearthe center.

Brooklyn Lake (Clay County): Brooklyn Lake lies 1 mile north of
Keystone Heights. Normally it covers about 640 acres. It is connected
to Magnolia Lake, about 1 mile to the north, and to Keystone Lake, half a
mile to the south.
Brooklyn Lake has a relatively large range in stage. The record,
which began in July 1957 shows that, through March 1960, the highest
level that had been recordedwas 116.51 feet above mean sea level (March
1960). The lowest was 97. 23 feet (February 1958).

Lake Butler (Orange County): Lake Butler is located at the town of
Windermere. It covers 1,660 acres. It is connected to Lake Down, on
the northeast, and to Lake Louise, on the southeast, by canals.
Daily stage readings of Lake Butler were begun in November 1941.
At the end of March 1960, the highest stage that had been recorded was
101.60 feet above mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 96.58
feet (August 1956).

Lake Cannon (Polk County): Lake Cannon is located at Winter Haven
and covers about 300 acres. It is connected to Lake Howard, Lake Mirror,
Lake Idylwild, and Lake Blue by canals. It is connected to Deer Lake by
culvert pipe.
Soundings made in 1949 indicate Lake Cannon to be about 20 feet
deep near the center.

Lake Carroll (Hillsborough County): Lake Carroll is located about
2 miles northwest of the town of Sulphur Springs. It covers about 180 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Carroll began in May 1946.
The highest stage that was recorded, through June 1960, was 40.0 feet
above mean sea level (from floodmark) and occurred in the fall of 1947.
The lowest was 32. 35 feet (March 1957).

Church Lake (Hillsborough County): Church Lake is 2 miles north-
west of Citrus Park. It covers about 70 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Church Lake began in September
1957. Through March 1960, the highest stage recorded was 37.28 feet
above mean sea level (August 1959). Thelowest was 33.92 feet (September
1957).

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Lake Clay (Highlands County): Lake Clay is located just northeast
of the town of Lake Placid. Channels connect it to Lake Huntley and Lake
Apthorp. The lake has a surface area of about 360 acres.
A contour map of the lake bottom, made in 1954 by the Soil Conser-
vation Service, indicates the deepest part (about 30 feet deep at average
stage) to be near the east shore of the lake. It shows that most of the
lake is between 8 and 12 feet deep.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Clay began in November
1951. From the beginning of the record to the end of September 1959,
the highest stage observed was 79. 22 feet above mean sea level (June
1953). The lowest was 75. 77 feet (June 1956).

Clear Lake (Brevard County): Clear Lake, which covers about 15
acres, is 3 miles northwest of Cocoa. It was used as a water supply by
the city of Cocoa from 1937 to 1957. It has no natural inlet or outlet
channels; however, during the time the city was using it, culvert pipe
was placed which connected it to a slough to the northeast to bring water
into the lake. Subsequently, several other sloughs were connected to the
first one to further increase the supply.
Stage records indicate that the hignest level reached bythe lake be-
tween 1952 and 1958 was 25.82 feet above mean sea level (October 1953).
The lowest, during the drouth of 1956, was 15.70 feet above mean sea
level.

Lake Clinch (Polk County): Lake Clinch, which covers 1,190 acres,
is located at Frostproof. Channels connect it with Crooked Lake to the
north and Reedy Lake to the east.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Clinch began in January
1947. Through Septemoer 1959, the highest stage that had been recorded
was 110.2 feet above mean sea level (October 1948). Thelowest was 102.1
feet (June 1956).

Lake Concord (Orange County): Lake Concord is within the city
limits of Orlando. Its highest level, between 1942 and 1950, was 79. b4
feet above mean sea level (1945). Its lowest level, also in 1945, was
74. 03 feet.

Lake Conine (Polk County): Lake Conine, which covers about 190
acres, is located half a mile north of Winter Haven. Canals connect it to
Lake Hartridgetothe west and Lake Smart to the east. There is a control
structure in the canal that connects Lake Conine and Lake Hartridge.
A stage record was collected for Lake Conine from March 1946 to
July 1954. During that time the highest stage recorded was 130. 63 feet
above mean sea level (September 1947). The lowest was 128.30 feet (May
1949).

22 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Lake Conway (Orange County): Lake Conway, at Pine Castle, covers
1,100 acres. It has no surface outlet; however, it has several drainage
wells which are used to drain off excess water. It has an inlet canal
connecting it with Lake Jessamine to the west. Flow through the canal is
regulated by a control structure.
In April 1953 the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund estab-
lished the ordinary high water level of Lake Conway at 86.40 feet above
mean sea level thus defining the lakeward boundary of the permanently
reclaimed lands around the lake.

Cooper Lake (Hillsborough County): Cooper Lake, which covers
about 85 acres, is located a quarter of a mile southwest of Lutz.
The collection of a stage record for Cooper Lake began in May 1946.
It was discontinued in August 1956. During that. time the highest stage
recorded was 62. 54 feet above mean sea level (September 1947). The
lowest was 58. 78 feet (June 1949).

Lake Corrine (Orange County): Lake Corrine, located on the Orlando
Air Force Base just east of Orlando, covers about 190 acres.
The stage record shows that the highest stage reached between 1943
and 1949 was 92. 94 feet above mean sea level (July 1945). The lowest
reached was 90. 26 feet (May 1949).

Crooked Lake (Polk County): Crooked Lake, which covers about
5, 500 acres, is located at Babson Park.
The collection of a stage record for Crooked Lake began in April
1945. From the beginning of the record to the end of September 1959,
the highest stage recorded was 123.98 feet above mean sealevel (October
1948). The lowest was 116. 28 feet (February 1957).

Crystal Lake (Polk County): Crystal Lake, 3 miles southeast of
Lakeland, has a surface area of 32 acres.
From July 1954 to November 1959, stage readings were made here
at irregular intervals. During that time, the highest stage observed was
137.24 feet above mean sea level (November 1959). The lowest was
127. 31 feet (June 1956).

Cypress Lake (Osceola County): Cypress Lake is 13 miles south
of St. Cloud. It has an area of 6.4 square miles. It is connected by canals
to Lake Tohopekaliga, Lake Hatchineha, and Lake Kissimmee. Canoe
Creekflows into it on the east. Soundings made bythe Corps of Engineers,
U.S. Army, show it to be about 10 feet deep in the deepest part.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Cypress began inJanuary
1942. From the beginning of the record to the end of September 1959,
the highest stage recorded was 57. 19 feet above mean sea level (October
1947). The lowest was 48. 59 feet (August 1956).

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31 23

Deer Lake (Polk County): Deer Lake, located half a mile west of
Lake Howard, at Winter Haven, covers about 125 acres. It is connected
to Lake Cannon by an 18-inch culvert but has no surface connections with
other lakes.
Stage readings have been made about once a week for Deer Lake
since February 1946. At the end of September 1959, the highest stage
that had been recorded was 141.02 feet above mean sea level (June 1959).
The lowest was 138. 30 feet (June 1956).

Lake Delancy (Marion County): Lake Delancy is in the northeastern
part of Marion County, about 3 miles north of Lake Kerr. It covers about
500 acres.
The stage record for Lake Delancy began in July 1953. At the end
of June 1960, the highest gage reading that had been made was 2. 81 feet
above the gage datum (December 1953). The lowest was 2. 49 feet below
the gage datum (May 1957).

Lake Dora (Lake County): Lake Dora is located at Mount Dora. It
covers about 6 square miles. Canals connect it with Lake Beauclair and
Lake Eustis.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Dora by the U. S. Geological
Survey began in July 1942. From then to the end of June 1960, the highest
stage recorded was 65. 60 feet above mean sea level (April 1960). The
lowest was 60. 86 feet (February 1957).

Lake Ellen (Hillsborough County): Lake Ellen is about 2 miles
northwest of the town of Sulphur Springs. It covers about 50 acres.
From May 1946 to August 1956 weekly stage readings were made
for Lake Ellen. During this period the highest stage recorded was 41.74
feet above mean sea level (October 1953). The lowest was 37. 64 feet
(May 1949).

Lake Eloise (Polk County): Lake Eloise, covering about 1,200
acres, is located about 1 mile east of the town of Eloise. Canals connect
it to Lake Lulu (northwest), Lake Summit (north), and Lake Winterset
(southeast).
Soundings made in 1949 showed a maximum depth of 22 feet.
Stage records collected from 1945 to 1952 show a maximum stage
of 132.36 feetabove mean sealevel (1947) and a minimum stage of 129.14
feet (1945).
Cypress Gardens, well known tourist attraction, is located on the
east shore of the lake.

Lake Eustis (Lake County): Lake Eustis is located at the town of
Eustis. It covers about 11 square miles and local residents report it to

24 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

be 8 to 10 feet deep.
According to the stage record the highest level reached since 1936
was 64. 84 feet above mean sea level (April 1960). The lowest level was
58.82 feet (October 1956).

Lake Fannie (Polk County): Lake Fannie, located about 1-miles
northeast of Winter Haven, covers about 830 acres. Channels enter the
lake from Lake Rochelle, to the northwest, and Lake Buckeye, to the
southwest. There is an outlet channel on the east shore.

Lake Francis (Highlands County): Lake Francis, 3 miles northwest
of the town of Lake Placid and three-fourths of a mile north of Lake
June-In-Winter, covers 525 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Francis began in October
1954. At the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been re-
corded was 71. 58 feet above mean sea level (October 1954). The lowest
was 67.91 feet (June 1956).

Lake Geneva (Clay County): Lake Geneva is located near the south-
west corner of Clay County and at the town of Keystone Heights. It covers
about 1,600 acres.
The stage record which began in July 1957, shows, to the end of
1959, a high of 102.55 feet above mean sea level (October 1959) and a low
of 99. 79 feet (October 1958). However, floodmarks of high stages in past
years indicate that the lake has risen as high as 109. 1 feet.

Lake Gentry (Osceola County): Lake Gentry, located 8 miles south
of St. Cloud, covers about 1,800.acres.
According to the stage record, the highest stage reached between
November 1949 and September 1959 was 63. 1 feet above mean sea level
(October 1953). The lowest was 57. 6 feet (August 1956).

Lake George (Marion, Putnam, Volusia, and Lake counties): Lake
George, the second largest lake inFlorida, covers about 70 square miles.
The lake, about 12 miles long, forms part of the St. Johns River channel
in the reach between Deland and Palatka.
Lake George has a flat, sandy bottom and, except near the shore,
is 10 to 12 feet deep. Normally, its stage is about 2 feet above mean sea
level. Most of the time there are sligh, tidal fluctuations in the lake.

Lake Gibson (Polk County): Lake Gibson is about 4 miles north of
Lakeland. It has a surface area of 480 acres. Its highest observed stage
since 1954 was 145.1 feet above mean sea level (barometric leveling) and
its lowest was 141.4 feet.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Lake Grandin (Putnam County): Lake Grandin is 3 miles north of
the town of Interlachen and has a surface area of 350 acres. Since July
1957, when the stage record began, its highest observed stage was 82.27
feet above mean sea level (1959) and its lowest was 80.15 feet (1957).
However, according to local residents, a stage of 83. 4 feet was reached
in the fall of 1953.

Grassy Lake (Highlands County): Grassy Lake, about 3 miles south
of the town of Lake Placid, has an area of 500 acres. From November
1951, when the stage record began, to September 1959, the highest stage
observed was 94. 26 feet above mean sea level (September 1953) and the
lowest was 87. 81 feet (June 1956).
Soundings made by the Soil Conservation Service in 1954 indicate
that, at average stage, the lake is about 17 feet deep.

Lake Griffin (Lake County): Lake Griffin, just north of Leesburg,
has a surface area of 14 square miles. Its principal tributary is Haines
Creek. The Oklawaha River begins at Lake Griffin and the stage of the
river as well as the lake is regulated by a dam at Moss Bluff, 9- miles
below the lake outlet. The U. S. Geological Survey stage record, which
began in 1952, shows that, to the end of March 1960, the highest observed
stage was 60.54 feet above mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was
56. 80 feet (February 1957).

Lake Hamilton (Polk County): Lake Hamilton, which lies about 2
miles southwest of Haines City, covers an area of 3.4 square miles (about
2, 200 acres). Principal inflow to the lake is at the north end, through a
series of canals and ditches. Outflow is through a canal, with a control
structure, at the south end.
The stage record for Lake Hamilton, consisting of readings made
about once a week, began in June 1945. At the end of September 1959 the
highest stagethat had been recorded was 124.34 feetabove mean sealevel
(October 1948) and the lowest was 117.03 feet (June 1956).

Hanna Lake (Hillsborough County): Hanna Lake, which covers about
30 acres, is located 1 mile southeast of Lutz. It has an inflow channel
(from Keene Lake) and an outflow channel. Flow, both in and out, is
regulated by control structures.
The stage record for Hanna Lake began in June 1946 and was dis-
continued in October 1956. It consists of weekly readings. During the
period of record, the highest observed stage was 62. 80 feet above mean
sea level (September 1952); the lowest, 57. 72 feet (June 1949).

Lake Hart (Orange County): Lake Hart, which covers about 1,800
acres, is 5 miles north of the town of Narcoossee (Osceola County). The
lake is about 20 feet deep in the deepest part (near the south end).

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Surface flow enters the lake through a canal that connects with Lake
Mary Jane, to the east, and leaves through a canal that connects with
Lake A. J., to the south. There is a control structure in the outlet canal.
The stage record for Lake Hart began in November 1941. Since
then, daily gage readings have been made. The highest observed daily
stage was 64. 87 feet above mean sea level (September 1945); the lowest,
56. 84 feet (June 1945).

Lake Hartridge (Polk County): Lake Hartridge, located at Winter
Haven, has a surface area of 450 acres. Canals connect it with Lake
Idylwild and Lake Conine. Outflow to Lake Conine is regulated by a control
structure at U.S. Highway 17.
The stage record for Lake Hartridge began in February 1946..
Through December 1959, the highest stage that had been recorded was
132. 76 feet above mean sea level (September 1948); the lowest, 128.68
feet (June 1956).

Lake Hatchineha (Oseola County): Lake Hatchineha is 10 miles east
of the town of Lake Hamilton (Polk County). It has an area of 10.4 square
miles and is about 12 feet deep. It is connected by canals to Lake Cypress,
to the northeast, and Lake Kissimmee, to the south. Several creeks flow
into the lake.
The stage record for Lake Hatchineha began on January 8, 1942.
Through September 1959, the highest daily stage that had been recorded
was 56.79 feet above mean sea level (October 1947); the lowest was 47.47
feet (July 1956).

Lake Hobbs (Hillsborough County): Lake Hobbs, which covers about
65 acres, is located just north of Lutz. A drainage canal connects it with
Lake Cooper, to the south.
The stage record for Lake Hobbs began in June 1946. Through April
1960, highest stage that had been recordedwas 68.40feet above mean sea
level (March 1960). The lowest was 63. 36 feet (May 1956).

Lake Howard (Polk County): Lake Howard, which has an area of
about 500 acres, is located at Winter Haven. It is connected by canals to
Lake Cannon and Lake May. Soundings made in 1949 show it to be about
16 feet deep.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Howard began inApril
1945. At the end of May 1960, the highest daily stage recorded was 133.00
feet above mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 128.68 feet (June
1956).

Lake Huntley (Highlands County): Lake Huntley, located at the town
of Lake Placid, has an area of 680 acres and is about 17 feet deep in the
deepest part.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

The collection of a stage record of Lake Huntley began in November
1951. At the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been re-
corded was 84. 42 feet above mean sea level (October 1953); the lowest,
81.78 feet (June 1953, June 1956).

Lake Istokpoga (Highlands County): Lake Istokpoga, located about 4
miles west of the Kissimmee River and 25 miles north of Lake Okeechobee,
covers an area of 43 square miles. Its principal tributaries are Josephine
Creek and Arbuckle Creek. Normally, outflow from the lake is to the
Kissimmee River by way of Istokpoga Canal. Lake-bottom contour maps
indicate it to be generally shallow with a maximum depth of about 10 feet.
The stage record for Lake Istokpoga began in 1936. Through the
end of September 1959, the highest daily stage that had been recorded was
42. 9 feet above mean sea level (September 1945). The lowest was 35.93
feet (August 1956).

Lake Jessie (Polk County): Lake Jessie, located 1 mile northwest
of Winter Haven, has an area of about 200 acres. Soundings made in July
1949 indicate it has a maximum depth of 14feet. Canals connect Lake Jessie
with Lake Mariana, to the north, and Lake Idylwild, to the southeast.
Lake-stage readings were obtained from Lake Jessie from February
1946 to July 1954. Duringthat time, thehighest stage recordedwas 132.64
feet above mean sea level (October 1948); the lowest, 130. 30 feet (May
1949).

Lake Josephine (Highlands County): Lake Josephine is located 3
miles southwest of De Soto City. It has a surface area of 1,250 acres.
Its principal tributary is Jackson Creek. Outflow from the lake is by way
of Josephine Creek.
The stage record for Lake Josephine began in December 1946.
Through the end of September 1959,the highest stage that had been recorded
was 76. 8 feet above mean sea level (September 1948); the lowest, 69. 11
feet (May 1956).

Lake June-In-Winter (Highlands County): Lake June-In-Winter is
located at the town of Lake Placid. It covers about 3, 700 acres.
The stage record for the lake began in April 1945. Between April
1945 and September 1958, the highest stage recordedwas 77.58 feet above
mean sea level (October 1948). The lowest recorded was 72.24 feet (August
1950).

Keene Lake (Hillsborough County): Keene Lake is about 1 mile
southeast of the town of Lutz. It covers about 30 acres.
From September 1948 to September 1955, a stage record was col-
lected at Keene Lake. During that time the highest stage recorded was
53.30 feet above mean sea level (September 1953). The lowest was 60. 90
feet (June 1955).

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Lake Kerr (Marion County): Lake Kerr, in the northeastern part
of Marion County, is 6 miles west of Lake George. It covers 4. 0 square
miles (2,560 acres).
The U. S. Geological Survey began collecting a stage record for
Lake Kerr in July 1950. The record was discontinued in June 1952 but
was started again in October 1955. At the end of December 1959, the
highest stage that had been recorded was 25.62 feet above mean sea level
(October 1950). However, floodmarks indicate the lake reached a stage
of 26. 6 feet in the fall of 1948. The lowest stage during the period of
record was 19. 92 feet (May 1957).

Keystone Lake (Hillsborough County): Keystone Lake is 10 miles
east ofTarponSprings (Pinellas County) and 1 mile southwest of the com-
munity of Lake Fern. It has a surface area of 600 acres. Keystone Lake
is the headwaters of Brooker Creek which, after passing through Island
Ford Lake, flows westward and empties into Lake Tarpon.
The stage record for Keystone Lake covering the period from April
1946 through September 1959 shows that the highest daily stage recorded
during that time was 43. 20 feet above mean sea level (August 1949). The
lowest was 38. 36 feet (June 1949).

Kingsley Lake (Clay County): Kingsley Lake is 6 miles east of Starke
(Bradford County). It is circular in shape and covers about 1,650 acres.
It is 85 feet deep in its deepest part.
The collection of a stage record for Kingsley Lake began in June
1945. From the beginning of the record to the end of March 1960, the
highest stage that had been recorded was 177.82 feet above mean sea level
(October 1950). The lowest was 174. 34 feet (April 1956).

Lake Kissimmee (Osceola County): Lake Kissimmee is 16 miles
east of the town of Lake Wales (Polk County) and 50 miles north of Lake
Okeechobee. It covers 55 square miles.
Although the lake is generally shallow, depths in some places are
as much as 20 feet. There are several islands in the lake.
The Kissimmee River, which begins at Lake Hatchineha, flows
through Lake Kissimmee and empties into Lake Okeechobee. A canal
connects Lake Kissimmee with Cypress Lake.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Kissimmee began in March
1942. From the beginning of the record to the end of September 1959,
the highest daily stage that had been recorded was 56.64 feet above mean
sea level (October 1953). The lowest was 45. 31 feet (September 1956).

Lake Letta (Highlands County): Lake Letta is located 2 miles south-
east of Avon Park. It covers about 470 acres. Surface inflow to the lake
is by way of a natural channel on the west side that connects with Little
Bonnet Lake. Surface outflow is by way of a channel onthe southeast side.

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Collection of a stage record began in June 1951. From the beginning
of the record to the end of September 1959 the highest stage recorded was
101.38 feet above mean sea level (October 1953). The lowest was 96. 59
feet (May 1956).

Lake Lochloosa (Alachua County): Lake Lochloosa is 4 miles south-
west of Hawthorne and 13 miles southeast of Gainesville. It covers about
10 square miles. It is connected to Orange Lake, a miletothe southwest,
by Cross Creek. Its principal tributary is Lochloosa Creek which flows
in on the north side. An outlet channel runs southeastward from the lake
and connects with Orange Creek.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Lochloosa was started in
July 1942. The recordwas discontinued in December 1952. It was started
again in April 1956. Through the end of September 1959, the highest stage
recorded was 61.94 feet above mean sea level (March 1948). The lowest
was 53. 88 feet (August 1956).

Lake Magdalene (Hillsborough County): Lake Magdalene, located
about 2 miles northwest of the town of Sulphur Springs, covers approxi-
mately 230 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Magdalene began in May
1946. At the end of May 1960the highest stage that had been recorded was
51.0 feet above mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 44.48 feet
(March 1957).

Lake Maitland (Orange County): Lake Maitland, located at Winter
Park, covers about 450 acres. It is reported to be about 15 feet deep.
Channels connect it with Lake Osceola, to the south, and with Lake Howell,
to the northeast.
The stage record for Lake Maitland, collected by the U. S. Geological
Survey, began in May 1945 and was discontinued in September 1952. The
collection of a record was begun again in September 1959. At the end of
May 1960, the highest stage that had been recorded was 67.46 feet above
mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 64. 57 feet (June 1949).

Lake Mariana (Polk County): Lake Mariana is located about 1 mile
northeast of Auburndale. It has a surface area of 500 acres. A canal on
*the south side connects Lake Mariana with Lake Jessie.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Mariana began in February
1946. Readings have been made at about weekly intervals since then.
At the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been recorded
was 137.90 feet above mean sea level (June 1957). Thelowest was 133.90
feet (July 1956).

Lake Mary Jane (Orange County): Lake Mary Jane is about 6 miles
northeast of the town of Narcoossee (Osceola County). It covers about

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

1,150 acres. Canals connect it with Lake Myrtle to the south, Lake
Amanda to the east, and Lake Hart to the west.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Mary Jane began in No-
vember 1949. From the time the record began to the end of December
1959, the highest daily stage that had been recorded was 64.26 feet above
mean sea level (October 1956). The lowest was 58. 75 feet (July 1950).

Mountain Lake (Polk County): Mountain Lake, 1 mile north of the
town of Lake Wales, covers about 135 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Mountain Lake began in April
1945. Stage readings were made about once a week. From the beginning
of the record tothe end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been -
recorded was 116.80 feet above mean sea level (October 1948). The lowest
was 107. 30 feet (June 1957).

Lake Okeechobee (Palm Beach County): Lake Okeechobee, the second
largest fresh-water lake in the United States, is in southern Florida. It
is located about a hundred miles north of the southern end of the peninsula
and about midway between the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It has an area of
approximately 700 square miles and is normally about 15 feet deep.
Stage records for Lake Okeechobee have been collected by various
agencies since 1912. From October 1931 to the end of September 1959,
the highest daily stage that had been recorded was 18.77 feet above mean
sea level (November 1947). The lowest was 10. 14 feet (August 1956).

Orange Lake (Alachua County): Orange Lake is 16 miles north of
Ocala and 10 miles southeast of Gainesville. It covers 26 square miles.
Much of the lake, which is relatively shallow, is covered by aquatic
vegetation. The principal tributary to Orange Lake is the River Styx which
flows in at the northwest end. A fairly large, open channel connects
Orange Lake with Lake Lochloosa. Outflow from Orange Lake leaves by
way of Orange Creek, at the east end of the lake. At times, water also
leaves by way of a sinkhole in the lake bottom near the southwest shore.
The stage record for Orange Lake, covering the period from July
1942 to the end of May 1960, shows that the highest daily stage recorded
during that time was 61.21 feet above mean sea level (March 1948). The
lowest was 50. 38 feet (August 1956).

Lake Otis (Polk County): Lake Otis, at Winter Haven, covers about
130 acres. It is connected to Lake Link by a channel.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Otis began inAugust 1954.
Fromthebeginning of the record to the end of September 1959 the highest
daily stage that had been recorded was 128. 87 feet above mean sea level
(June 1959). The lowest was 123. 98 feet (May 1956).

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

Lake Parker (Polk County): Lake Parker, located at Lakeland,
covers about 2, 300 acres. Most of the lake is from 6 to 10 feet deep. It
is connected by channels to Lake Gibson and to Lake Bonny. An outlet
canal connects it with Saddle Creek.
Stage records have been collected for Lake Parker since May 1949.
Through April 1959, the highest stage that had been recorded was 131.78
feet above mean sea level (October 1953). The lowest was 127. 92 feet
(May 1949).

Lake Platt (Hillsborough County): Lake Platt is located a quarter
of a mile north of Lake Magdalene and 4 miles south of the town of Lutz.
It covers about 65 acres. There is an outlet channel on the east side.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Platt began in May 1946
and was discontinued in August 1956. During that time the highest stage
recorded was 51. 38 feet above mean sea level (September 1950). The
lowest was 46. 92 feet (June 1949).

Lake Rochelle (Polk County): Lake Rochelle is at the town of Lake
Alfred. It covers about. 500 acres. Drainage enters the lake through a
low, swampy area to the west. Outflow from the lake is by way of canals
that connect with Lake Haines and Lake Fannie.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Rochelle began in March
1946. Through the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been
recorded was 129. 86 feet above mean sea level (September 1948). The
lowest was 125.24 feet (August 1956).

Scott Lake (Fblk County): Scott Lake is located 3 miles west of
Highland City. It covers about 290 acres. Soundings made in 1954 show
it to be 12 to 14 feet deep.
The collection of a stage record for Scott Lake began in March 1953.
Tothe end of September 1959 the highest daily stage that had been recorded
was 168.40 feet above mean sea level (October 1957). The lowest was
163. 84 feet (May 1953).

Lake Stemper (Hillsborough County): Lake Stemper is located 1'
miles south of Lutz. It covers about 130 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Stemper began in May
1946. Through March 1960, the highest stage that had been recorded was
62.30 feet above mean sea level (March 1960). The lowest was 58.68 feet
(July 1949).

Lake Tarpon (Pinellas County): Lake Tarpon is l1 miles southeast
of Tarpon Springs. It covers 4 square miles and, except for a deep hole
near the northwest shore, is about 12 feet deep.

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Lake Tarpon has several tributary streams, the largest of which is
Brooker Creek. However, it has no surface outlet. Taylor3 has indicated
that waterfrom the lake moves through underground solution channels and
emerges at Spring Bayou.
The collection bythe U. S. Geological Survey of a daily stage record
for Lake Tarpon began in March 1945. At the end of May 1960, the highest
daily stage recorded was 6.42 feet above mean sea level (September 1950).
The lowest was 1.08 feet (March 1945).

Lake Tohopekaliga (Osceola County): Lake Tohopekaliga, at Kis-
simmee, covers about 30 square miles. Its stage record began in January
1942, At the end of September 1959, the highest daily stage that had been
recorded was 58.62 feet above mean sea level (October 1953). The lowest
was 49.69 feet (August 1956).

Lake Trafford (Collier County): Lake Trafford is 3 miles west of
the town of Immnokalee. It covers about 1,400 acres.
The collection of a stage record for Lake Trafford began in March
1941- At the end of September 1959, the highest stage that had been re-
corded was 22.60 feet above mean sea level (September 1947). The lowest
was 15-68 feet (June 1951).

Lake Weir (Marion County): Lake Weir is 16 miles southeast of
Ocala. It covers 8. 5 square miles.
The U. S. Geological Survey began collecting a stage record for
Lake Weir in November 1942. From the beginning of this record to the
end of May 1960, the highest daily stage that had been recordedwas 58.73
feet above mean sea level (April 1960). The lowest was 53.46 feet (May
1957).

The Florida Geological Survey holds all rights to the source text of
this electronic resource on behalf of the State of Florida. The
Florida Geological Survey shall be considered the copyright holder
for the text of this publication.

Under the Statutes of the State of Florida (FS 257.05; 257.105, and
377.075), the Florida Geologic Survey (Tallahassee, FL), publisher of
the Florida Geologic Survey, as a division of state government,
makes its documents public (i.e., published) and extends to the
state's official agencies and libraries, including the University of
Florida's Smathers Libraries, rights of reproduction.

The Florida Geological Survey has made its publications available to
the University of Florida, on behalf of the State University System of
Florida, for the purpose of digitization and Internet distribution.

The Florida Geological Survey reserves all rights to its publications.
All uses, excluding those made under "fair use" provisions of U.S.
copyright legislation (U.S. Code, Title 17, Section 107), are
restricted. Contact the Florida Geological Survey for additional
information and permissions.

STATE OF FLORIDA
STATE BOARD OF CONSERVATION
DIVISION OF GEOLOGY

FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Robert 0. Vernon, Director

INFORMATION CIRCULAR NO. 31

STAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA LAKES

By
W. E. Kenner, Hydraulic Engineer
U. S. Geological Survey

Prepared by the
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
in cooperation with the
TRUSTEES OF THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT FUND
of the State of Florida